Magical Turkey – Why You Should Plan Your Road Trip Now!
Aaah, Turkey! Azure blue waters, sandy beaches and Mediterranean lifestyle - Turkey is a longstanding constant in the tourism arena! It's a beautiful country with a rich culture, long history, varied landscapes and welcoming people. Often though, the average tourist doesn't get to see it.
Why not try something new?
Especially Europeans flog to Turkey’s sunny shores mostly throughout the hot summer months to get a good sunburn, eat a couple of Döner kebabs and drink their body weight in Efes beer! This is what mass-tourism dreams are made of: fly-in, stay in an all-inclusive hotel, party all night and sizzle on the beach all day – and repeat for 14 days!
Meanwhile, cheap and convenient, the all-inclusive package usually keeps you within the hotel walls and away from everything the country is really all about. Don’t get me wrong, each to their own and most of us have done similar holidays before. This isn’t a holiday-shaming exercise!
Yet, Turkey has so much more to offer and deserves to be explored beyond the sad hotel walls, keeping you away from the people, the culture and food!
Why Not Road Tripping?
In November 2020, we did a 14-day road trip around Turkey and it was one of the best experiences we have ever had! It turned out to be the ideal slow travel path to explore this stunning, yet huge country. Initially, we had thought about spending time in Izmir plus a few other stops along the coast, which we planned to do by bus. The itinerary grew, the bus connections got more complicated and the idea of schlepping our luggage around became less compelling. So, why not rent a car?! You would do it in Spain, you would do it in Italy, why not in Turkey?
Dare To Explore!
Having a car gives you the freedom to go at your own pace plus you get to see the daily life outside the tourist places. It offers the ultimate slow travel experience, a great adventure with minimal risk and maximal gain. The first rule of thumb is – the more time you have, the better! You can really be the captain of your own fate and stay longer where you love it or leave if you don’t like it.
We would have never expected that driving in Turkey is so easy and enjoyable! The landscapes you see during the drives are breathtaking and the roads are mostly world-class material while not too busy! If you know how to navigate with google maps, there is absolutely nothing that stands between you and the best time on the road!
Your 7 Essentials For A Successful Road Trip!
Planning a road trip sounds intense, but it really isn’t. Anyone can do it! Read up about some general information about the country, know your time frame, decide on a route, book a car and maybe at least book the first few nights before your arrival – DONE! The rest is destiny! Embrace the unknown and throw yourself into the adventure.
For your perfect Turkey Road Trip, we have everything you’ll need listed below! With a little bit of preparation you can make sure, that you’ll have the best possible time exploring Turkey. Have a read through it and you’ll be ready to go!
# 1 - Basic Information About Turkey
Turkey is a big country, famously straddling Europe and Asia. It is wedged between the European Mediterranean countries and the Middle East. On the Western side, Turkey borders the Aegean Sea, to the South it borders the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea in the North. Even though Ankara is the capital, Istanbul is where it’s at! It’s the largest city, spanning over the Bosphorus connecting the European side with the Asian side. This makes it such an exciting mix of European as well as Middle Eastern influences. Below you can find some very rudimentary quick facts about Turkey. If you like more in-depth information on Turkey plus some little known fun-facts, have a look here!
Highlights
Istanbul is modern, full of life and home to most of the Must-See attractions. Discover the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque or the Grand Bazar amongst the many others sights the city has to offer. Apart from Istanbul, there are many other amazing tourist destinations such as the unique rock formations of Cappadocia, the mineral hot springs of Pamukkale, the ancient ruins of Ephesus or the pretty coastal towns of Izmir, Antalya, Bodrum or Fethiye – just to name a few.
Along the Aegaen coast you find Gallipoli, the famous World War I battle site, where Allied Forces fought the Turkish Army. To this day many Brits, Australians and New Zealanders still come to Gallipoli to commemorate their fallen soldiers.
To the North you have the lesser known Black Sea Coast. You won’t find too many international travellers here, but it attracts a lot of local holiday makers. The Black Sea coast is worth a visit with its lush, subtropical vegetation backed by the mighty Anatolian mountains. There are many beautiful little towns to visit and breathtaking landscapes to see, it is worth the trip.
The mountainous interior area is not much visited, lacking the tourism infrastructure. If you are looking for an off the beaten track destination, maybe visit Gaziantep in the very South-East of Turkey. The city lies just a stone-throw away from the border to Syria and is probably more suitable for the experienced travellers.
Religion
Islam is the dominant religion in Turkey as in most other countries in the area. Even though Turkey is a modern country, a more moderate dress style is recommended as a sign of respect towards the locals. Maybe pack your shorts but leave the tiny hotpants at home.
Language
Turkish is the main language, of course. Thanks to the long tourism history, many people in the tourist areas do speak good English plus possibly German, French, Russian or any other language. If you know some basics in Turkish you definitely score some brownie points with the locals. Start with an easy ‘Hello’ – Merhaba or ‘Thank You’ – Teşekkür ederim. Those few words are not hard to learn and it shows you are trying.
Currency
The currency is the Turkish Lira which is more or less 1 EUR = 10 TRY (Turkish Lira), 1 USD = 8.70 TRY. The exchange rate varies, so have a look before you leave to get a good indication of how much money you need. Generally speaking though, life in Turkey is relatively cheap compared to most European countries. Apart from its natural beauty, the good value for money makes road-tripping Turkey very attractive.
Food
Turkey is jam packed with culinary delights, well-known way beyond its borders! The breakfasts are spectacular and you should go in search of a good Turkish breakfast at least once. It mostly consists of fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, different soft cheeses, delicious flavourful vegetable pastes, eggs in all forms, jams and amazing bread.
Then you have of course the doughy options throughout the day such as Döner, Shwarma, Lahmacun, Pide and so forth. As it comes to meat you can get anything apart from pork. The lamb, beef or chicken options often come in some form of minced meat and on a stick – always well seasoned and mostly grilled. YUM! The grilled fish dishes are just as delicious, especially around the seaside towns. If you are in Istanbul, try a Balik Ekmek – it’s a simple, mouthwatering fish sandwich, something easy on the go!
Last but not least – the sweets! Turkish people definitely have a sweet tooth. Try the famous Turkish Delight, Baklava and Künefe to name just a few.
Turkey is definitely a paradise for any foodie. If you can’t find something you like here, you can’t be helped.
# 2 - The Best Time to Travel
Turkey is, technically, an all-year-round destination. The coastal areas around the Aegean and the Mediterranean Sea have hot dry summers and mild to cool, wet winters.
Along the Northern Coast bordering the Black Sea as well as in Istanbul, the summers are warm and humid with an average high of 23°C, while the winters are pretty cold with an average of 7°C. You can even get the occasional snowfall here. If you venture into the interior, the winters get very cold with temperatures as low as -40°C around the Anatolian mountains.
Therefore, the best time to go road tripping around Turkey is during the mild and lovely shoulder seasons. Ideally go in April / May, when spring is warming up or in autumn when it starts to cool down again from summer. It’s beautiful and warm at most places during the day and nice and cool at night. The best conditions to go exploring!
We went in November and we still had the most amazing weather! Occasionally it got quite cold, especially driving inland, but along the coast, especially between Antalya and Fethiye, we had amazingly warm weather. Overall, it only rained for about a day and a half during the entire trip. Avoiding summer is also – under normal circumstances – avoiding the tourist hordes and the increased hotel rates. Therefore spring and autumn come highly recommended for a road trip around Turkey.
TIP: How to get there? The easiest way to compare the best flight connections and rates is through Trip.com! We booked our flights here a few times and it was quick, easy and often cheaper than directly through the airline.
# 3 - Renting A Car - What Do You Need?
Renting a car in Turkey is affordable and easy to do. Before picking out a car for your epic road trip though, make sure you are actually eligible to rent a car in Turkey. It’s nothing out of the ordinary to organise, but if you don’t rent cars abroad regularly, here are some pointers on what you need to think of before you go.
Drivers License
When renting a car, first of all, make sure your driver’s license is valid and in order. The requirements vary not only depending on your home country, but also on the rental company. Therefore look carefully at the requirements when you are booking the car.
You need to be at least 21 years old and you need to have your license for a minimum of 2 years, unless stated otherwise. If your driver’s license has been issued with a photo ID and is written in roman letters, it should be accepted in Turkey without having to organise an international driver’s license. Please do check with the rental company if you are not sure.
If your driver’s license has no picture ID, is not written in roman letters (e.g. Cyrillic, Arabic, Japanese), you definitely need to get an international driver’s permit (IDP). If in doubt, please always double-check with your rental car company to avoid issues on arrival.
Apart from your valid driver’s license, you need to present your passport and a credit card in your name (the driver’s name) with enough money on it to block the rental fee plus the deposit.
Car Rental Companies
You can find all of the big rental car companies in all major Turkish cities and tourist destinations. If you already have a favourite rental company – go with them!
We made good experiences with GoldCar in Greece and opted to rent with them again in Turkey since they offered the cheapest rates available. Again, we had no problems during the entire process from pick-up to drop off. Another good rental company with affordable similarly affordable rates is Localrent.com. They operate in 14 different countries and come highly recommended. It might be worth having a look.
GoldCar stands a bit lower in the rental car hierarchy than for example Europcar, Avis or Hertz, so finding the rental station at Izmir Airport was a bit more complicated. But that is as far as my complaints would go for my experience with GoldCar.
Have a good look around at all major rental companies to get the best value for money. It does take a bit of research, but you don’t want any issues once you arrive.
Extra Costs To Look Out For
When planning your itinerary, keep in mind that if you pick up the car in a different place than where you drop it off, there will be extra costs for the one-way drop-off fee. It might be a relatively small fee and if it works out better for your plans, it might be a worthwhile investment. Just keep this in mind during the planning phase. Also, make sure to choose the same time for pick up and drop off to avoid having to pay for an extra day.
Insurance
I am getting anxiety thinking about rental car insurance! It’s such a murky chapter in the rental car industry, there is always some confusion. Initially, we often went for cheaper rates through an aggregator such as Booking.com and had very good experiences. Obviously, you want some insurance at a decent rate, but if you book those cheap deals the insurance is issued through the online company, not the rental company. Therefore, once you pick up the car, the rental company will try to sell you insurance since they cannot see what you have purchased with the online company. As far as they are concerned you have no insurance and in case of damage, you are liable. All claims then have to go through the online company instead of the rental company, which can only lead to tears. It is not ideal!
I would, therefore, advise booking everything directly on the rental car company website. You might pay a slightly higher rate, but you invest in peace of mind to have everything in one hand, should – god forbid – something go wrong! We went for a pretty small, stock-standard car with a full cover, which was perfect for our needs.
# 4 - The SIM Card
Apart from the rental car, the next thing you need for your road trip is the local sim card to be able to use Google Maps. Usually, you pay a bit more at the airport than elsewhere in the city, but hey, what can you do?! If you pick up the rental car directly at the airport, invest the money and be done with it. It won’t hurt your budget too much in any case.
In Turkey you have three cell service providers – Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom. Turkcell comes recommended for travellers as they are best in coverage and value for money. To give you an idea – at the airport, you can get the Turkcell SIM card plus about 8GB for about 185 TRY, which is about 18 EUR or 21 USD (obviously, all rates are subject to change). Make sure you have your passport with you when you purchase a SIM card. The shops need it to register the card to your name. Whatever you do – never use your roaming! You might pay as much for your data as for the entire holiday!
The best website for any information on local sim cards is called ‘Too Many Adaptors‘! Here you’ll find pretty much any information on the best sim card deals for any country worldwide! Have a look, it’s a great place to find good reliable information on anything you need to know!
# 5 - Roads & Petrol
Both, roads and petrol prices, blew my mind in the best possible way! Most roads we took were brand-new and had multiple lanes for long stretches. You pay toll fees on certain routes either in cash or electronically. The electronic toll system is called OGS, which registers your car automatically. You’ll get billed for those fees by the rental company after you returned the vehicle. Don’t worry, the toll fees won’t break the bank and the good roads are worth it.
The local drivers do love to speed since the legal speed limits are quite conservative. Be careful if you tend to speed yourself because there are cameras and police patrols every so often along the highways. It’s a good mix of actual road rules you know from Western countries and the more “laissez-faire” attitude of developing countries. Keep your wits about you, but you don’t need any special skills to drive in Turkey. Driving in bigger cities can be a bit more daunting since it’s busier and anyone pushes in as they please! Keep calm, don’t get nervous and go with the flow.
The scenery along the road is absolutely stunning! We had some of the most scenic drives through Turkey. You’ll pass through mountains and valleys, forests, orchards, small villages and you can catch some of the most spectacular sea views you’ve ever seen. Especially the route along the D400 between Antalya and Fethiye is probably the most beautiful coastal drive I have ever taken! Do yourself a favour, if you drive through Turkey, make this beautiful stretch part of your itinerary!
Petrol prices in Turkey are a dream, especially compared to prices in other European countries. Obviously, prices change all the time, but it currently stands at 0.75 EUR cents a litre (0.92 USD cents) in Turkey. That’s an amazing rate. We did more than 1200 km and paid next to nothing on petrol! More money to spend on fun things and great accommodation. Woohoo!
# 6 - Booking Hotels On The Go
Another advantage travelling a little out of season is that you can stay flexible when it comes to booking your accommodation. We pretty much booked most of our stays on the go, usually only a day or two in advance. We mostly used Booking.com because it’s quick and easy, especially if you have a SIM card, you can literally book while you are on your way.
Most places we stayed at were really good, others were a bit hit-and-miss, but we never had a hotel that was absolutely not acceptable. It also depends on how much you would like to spend. It is your choice and your budget – so, you can go for whatever suits your accommodation needs. We worked with a lower budget and had mostly very good experiences. Going through the detailed itinerary in the next two chapters, I will point out where we had great experiences and give you all details needed.
If booking accommodation on the go is not for you – by all means – book everything in advance and set your itinerary. On the plus side, you don’t have to worry about where you are going to stay and you can concentrate fully on the day ahead. Your planning is done and you can relax for the rest of the trip!
Having all stays pre-booked will however take from the flexibility a road trip offers. Spontaneous side trips, extensions at places you just fell in love with or simply a couple of days extra to rest are off the table. If you feel nervous about booking on the go, I suggest, to book the first couple of days to ease yourself into your life on the road. Once you find your feet, you’ll also get a better understanding of what your chosen accommodation is like, if it actually suits your needs or if you should change your direction. It might just be worth making any further decisions a few days into the trip.
With the internet at your fingertips these days, everything is so easy and quickly done. You can fully embrace the adventure, there will always be a room for you available somewhere! Often the most spontaneous decisions turn out to be the best!
Have a think about it, there is no right or wrong! Most importantly, you have to feel relaxed and looking forward to your trip!
# 7 - The Itinerary
Now, this is obviously the most important part of your trip and completely depends on your interests! If you are open and have no idea what you would like to do in Turkey, maybe follow our itinerary. It was an epic trip with so many highlights and not too many long drives.
We started off with three nights in Izmir before we picked up our rental car to start our Turkey road trip adventure. On the road, we had about 14 days for the entire itinerary. Some places were more than enough for one or two nights, some places would have been good to have a bit more time. If you would like to explore more places along the coast, for example, do plan more time in. I wouldn’t have added more stops into the time we had. I believe 14 days is the minimum you should plan at least for a relaxed road trip.
From Izmir we had the following itinerary:
- Izmir – 3 nights
- Sirinçe – 1 night, Distance: Izmir – Sirinçe – about 1.5 hours, 87 km
- Pamukkale – 1 night, Distance: Sirinçe – Pamukkale – about 3 hours, 199 km
- Antalya – 3 nights, Distance: Pamukkale – Antalya – about 3.5 hours, 242 km
- Kaş via Cirali Beach – 3 nights, Distance: Antalya – Cirali – about 1.5 hours, 80 km, Cirali – Kaş – about 2.5 hours, 125 km
- Fethiye – 2 nights, Distance: Kaş – (Patara Beach) – Fethiye – about 3 hours, 115 km
- Dalyan – 1 night, Distance: Fethiye – Dalyan – about 1 hour, 60 km
- Selçuk – 2 nights, Distance: Dalyan – Selçuk – about 3.5 hours, 247 km
- Izmir – car drop off, Distance: Selçuk – Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport – about 40 minutes, 61 km
Over the next two posts, you’ll get all the details about each destination on the itinerary as well as must-visit places along the road, good accommodation, things to do and generally everything you need to know. As you will see, Turkey is an exciting and easy self-drive destination with many amazing sights, scenic drives and relaxed little towns. You really get to know Turkey beyond the trodden tourist path, without missing out on the highlights. Most people you’ll meet are so welcoming and generous, it is truly humbling. The food is – as mentioned – absolutely to die for and needs to be just as much explored as the historical places.
Planning a road trip is not easy with only a few elements to think about. Turkey is a wonderful place to get your wheels on and go exploring. So, get ready for an exciting ride through this magnificent country!
Follow us next week to get on the road to get to know Izmir, Sirinçe, Pamukkale and Antalya! It’s going to be exciting, so don’t miss out on it.
You hopefully enjoyed our top tips to prepare for your Turkey road trip!
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Thank you and until next time!
